Helen Wang – författare

The twenty-four contributions in Look at the Coins! reflect the vast scope of Joe Cribb’s interests, including Asian numismatics, museology, poetry and art. The papers are arranged geographically, then chronologically or thematically. The first seven papers look at coins, charms and silver currencies in or from China: Chinese coin-shaped charms, Han dynasty gold unearthed in the Tomb of the Marquis of Haihun, Jiangxi, silver in the history of Chinese currency, a metallurgical and historical study of Song dynasty coins, the Department of Iron Coins at Dongtangzi Hutong in Beijing and the only known annotated plan of a Chinese mint, the six million dollars in silver of the Canton Ransom, and a hoard of Chinese coins found in Turkey. One paper focuses on the coins and medals of the two Pahlavi Shahs of Iran. Nine papers look at finds from ancient Central Asia and Afghanistan: coins of South Soghd in the first two centuries AD, the identity of the rider on Indo-Greek coins, the phonology of Greek names in Kharoṣṭhī script, questions of identity and interpretation in Gandharan reliefs, first-century AD coins in stūpa deposits and the beginning of the Buddhist relic cult in Afghanistan, a hoard of Kushan gold coins from Swabi, Gandhāran Jātakas, Avadānas and Pūrvayogas, Indian imitations of Kushan coins, and a new gold coin of Vasudeva I. Four papers relate to India: Roman coins found in India, ‘Heraṇika’ in the inscriptions of the Western Deccan (c. 200 BC–300), the peck and shroff marks of sixteenth-century North India, and Henry Ernest Stapleton and the coin collection in the Heberden Coin Room, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Two papers relate to South East Asia: one revisits the Stamford Raffles’ Collections, and the other discusses a hybrid pendant found in Thailand. The last contribution celebrates some of Joe’s less well-known interests: poetry, art medals and art photography.

This is the first book to explore the history of the field of Chinese numismatics from both Eastern and Western perspectives. With upwards of 100 illustrations, it consists of three papers that complement each other beautifully and give a sound introduction to the beginnings of the study of Chinese numismatics, focusing on the 19th century: A Short History of Chinese Numismatics in Western Languages – Helen Wang A run-through of publications on Chinese numismatics to 1900 – giving information about the authors, their occupations, motivations and areas of interest. A good background to the subject, and includes information on where to find bibliographies etc.  Currencies of Ancient China from their Origins to the Late Empire – Francois Thierry, translated from the French by Helen Wang and Lyce Jankowski Also the title of Francois Theirry’s award-winning book, published in 2017 – the result of having worked for decades as the curator of Asian coins in Paris. The author notes how Europeans sometimes understood Chinese money and sometimes got it completely wrong.  Numismatic Friendship: Social Networks of Numismatists and Coin Collectors During the Late Qing Dynasty – Lyce Jankowski, translated from the French by Lyce Jankowski and Helen Wang Also the title of the author’s book published in 2018, and a very important piece of work. It shows the world of Chinese collectors of Chinese coins, their networks and motivations.